Rice is the world's largest food crop, and its yield and quality are directly related to food security and human health. Grain size, as one of the important factors determining the rice yield, has been widely concerned by breeders and researchers for a long time. To decipher the regulatory mechanism of rice grain size, we obtained a multi-tiller, dwarf, and small-grain mutant htd1 by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutation from the Japonica rice cultivar 'Zhonghua 11' ('ZH11'). Genetic analysis indicated that the phenotype of htd1 was controlled by a single recessive gene. Using the mutation site map (Mutmap) method, we identified the candidate gene OsHTD1, which encoded a carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase involved in the biosynthesis of strigolactone (SL). The SL content in htd1 was significantly lower than that in 'ZH11'. Cytological analysis showed that the grain size of the mutant decreased due to the reductions in the length and width of glume cells. The function of htd1 was further verified by the CRISPR/cas9 gene editing technology. The plants with the gene knockout exhibited similar grain size to the mutant. In addition, gene expression analysis showed that the expression levels of multiple grain size-related genes in the mutant changed significantly, suggesting that HTD1 may interact with other genes regulating grain size. This study provides a new theoretical basis for research on the regulatory mechanism of rice grain size and potential genetic resources for breeding the rice cultivars with high yields.
Oryza/growth & development* ; Mutation ; Edible Grain/growth & development* ; Alleles ; Plant Proteins/genetics* ; Dioxygenases/genetics* ; Lactones/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Genes, Plant ; Gene Editing ; CRISPR-Cas Systems ; Phenotype

OBJECTIVETo establish seed quality classification standard of Dipsacus asperoides.

METHODThrough the detection on seed purity, 1 000-grain weight, water content, germination rate of D. asperoides from different areas, and observation on seed external characters, the primary seed quality classification standard of D. asperoides was preliminarily formulated.

RESULTSThe first level D. asperoides seed germination rate was over 85%, 1 000-grain weight above 3.94 g, purity above 90.95%, water content lower than 9.08%. The second level D. asperoides seed germination rate was over 64%, 1 000-grain weight was above 3.57 g, purity was over 83.66%, water content was above 10.23%. The third level seed germination rate was above 35%, 1 000-grain weight was above 3.04 g, purity was above 75.51%, water content was lower than 11.37%.

CONCLUSIONGermination rate and 1 000-grain weight were the main indexes of quality classification standard, and purity and water content provide the important reference. This quality classification standard of D. asperoides was scientific and feasible, and can be used as the quality control standard of D. asperoides.

China ; Dipsacaceae ; classification ; growth & development ; Edible Grain ; classification ; growth & development ; standards ; Germination ; Quality Control ; Seeds ; classification ; growth & development

Since the overall nutritional status of the general population has improved nowadays and manufactured formulas contain vitamin D, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency rickets has significantly decreased. Recently, however, 4 cases with lower extremity deformities came to the outpatient department. Among them, 1 case consumed only Sunsik (a powder mixture of several grains and fruits) instead of the manufactured formula, to control atopic dermatitis, 2 cases stopped eating due to diarrhea from milk feeds, and to control atopic dermatitis. 1 case was on a normal diet without any specific allergic reaction to foods, but had very less exposure to sunlight. Providing sufficient vitamin D and calcium, along with increasing the time of sunlight exposure have significantly improved the hematologic and radiologic findings, and the bone growth. The authors will explain the necessity of adequate supplementation of vitamin D and calcium, especially in cases which control or restrict their diet due to food allergies.
Bone Development ; Calcium ; Edible Grain ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Diarrhea ; Diet ; Eating ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Growth Plate ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Lower Extremity ; Milk ; Nutritional Status ; Outpatients ; Porphyrins ; Prevalence ; Rickets ; Sunlight ; Vitamin D ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; Vitamins

The effect of sowing date on grain protein, hordein fraction content and malting quality of two-rowed spring barley was investigated by using ten commercial cultivars with different grain protein content and the relationships among these traits were examined. The results showed that grain protein content and B hordein content increased as the sowing date postponed and were significantly affected by sowing date, while C and D hordein contents were less influenced by sowing date. There were significant differences in grain protein and hordein fraction content among the ten cultivars. The coefficient of variation of D hordein content was much larger than that of B and C hordein contents, suggesting its greater variation caused by different sowing dates. Beta-amylase activity and diastatic power were also significantly affected by sowing date, with malt extract being less affected. Significant differences in measured malt quality were found among the ten cultivars. Grain protein was significantly correlated with B hordein and malt extract positively and negatively, respectively. There was no significant correlation between beta-amylase activity or diastatic power and grain protein content. B hordein was negatively and significantly correlated with malt extract, but no significant correlations between C hordein, D hordein and malting quality traits.
Edible Grain ; chemistry ; Food Analysis ; Food Technology ; Glutens ; Hordeum ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Plant Proteins ; metabolism ; Seeds ; growth & development ; metabolism

According to economical status, malnutrition and overnutrition coexist among preschool children in Korea. Malnutrition have been a serious problem for children in some of rural. Many children have deficiencies of some nutrients such as riboflavin A, and simultaneously they have overcarloric intakes with empty calorie foods. Preschool children have nutritional problems which can affect the growth and development. To investigate whether nutritional intakes can influence on the growth or not, nutritional intakes and anthropometric measurements were determined for infants aged 4~6 years old in three different kinds of preschools. Daily nutrient intakes were calculated by the combination of a direct measurement and 24 hour recall, and the diet consumption patterns were determined by diet quality index. Overall growth of infants in Cheonan area was under the normal growth in Korea. Preschool children in orphanage consumed almost all nutrients much less than the recommended daily allowances, on the other hands, children in private preschool had over-intakes of nutrients when it is compared with the daily requirements. However, the scores of the diet quality index were similar in three preschools since children in private preschool consumed more fat and junk food than those in orphanage. The weight and height of preschool children in orphanage was lower than those in private preschools. This was due to the lower consumption of the important nutrients in infants in orphanage. The consumption of all nutrients except fat did not show any correlation with height or weight. The quality index of fat, cholesterol, grains and protein intakes was higher in children in private preschool than in orphanage. In conclusions, 1)the private preschool children had worse nutrient intake patterns. Better consumption of vitamin B2, calcium and grains were, bigger height and chest circumferences children obtained. 2)Since most of energy intake of preschool children came from junk foods, they needed to consume more supplementation of vitamins and minerals, which is necessary for normal growth. 3)It is desirable for the children to cut down junk foods and empty calorie foods.
Anthropometry ; Calcium ; Edible Grain ; Child* ; Child, Preschool ; Cholesterol ; Chungcheongnam-do* ; Diet ; Energy Intake ; Growth and Development ; Hand ; Humans ; Infant ; Korea ; Malnutrition ; Minerals ; Nutritional Status* ; Orphanages ; Overnutrition ; Recommended Dietary Allowances ; Riboflavin ; Thorax ; Vitamins

BACKGROUND: Oncogenes and EGF-Receptor(EGFR) may be involved n different stages of the multistep carcinogenesis process. A specific pattern of karyotypic abnormalities in solid tumors can be detected by cytogenetic methods. OBJECTIVE: This study is intnded to observe the cytomolecular kiologic chracterization of c-myc, erb B and EGFR genes in squasnous cell carcinoma(SCC) of the skin and cervix. METHODS: We have eytogenet,ically examined the short-term culturs from SCC. The rearrangement, amplification or expressi.on of erb B, c-myc, and EGFR genes were studied by Southern blot, analysis of genomic DNA and by slot blot analysis of tota! RNA extracted from biopsies of normal skin and SCC tissues. EGFR expression was examined immunohistochemially using monoclonal antibodies and the localizat,ion of the c-myc oncogene mRNA by in situ hybridization. RESULTS: A remarkably structural aberration was del 6(q21-qter) counted 20 metaphases among 28 metaphases ana1yzed. In nunierical aberration, all chromosomes were lost or gained randomly. Amenploid including triploid and tetraploid were observed in 8 metaphases, 6 tumor cells contained marker chromosome. In Southern blot analysis, rearrangement and amglificaton of EGFR in primary squamous cell carcinoma of cervix uteri and skin respectively. In slot blot analysis, the levels of c-myc, erb B and EGFR mRNA increaaed respectively 3.5, 2.5 and 2.8 times in SCC when compared to normal tissues. In immunoperoxidase stain, EGFR was present, in SCC where keratinocytes with strong cyto-plasmic staining but no membr, line labelling, where as in normal skin the were primarily present in t,he membrane and cytoplasm of basal cells. In situ hybridization with c-myc cDNAs allowed detection of grains representative of biotin labelled cDNA-mRNA hybrids in the frozden section of SCC tissues. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that specific patterns of karyotypir abnormalites, rearrangement, or amplification of EGFR gene, and overexpression of oncogenes and EGFR gene may be associated with the carcinogenesis of SCC.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Biopsy ; Biotin ; Blotting, Southern ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Edible Grain ; Cervix Uteri ; Cytogenetics ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; DNA, Complementary ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Female ; Genes, erbB-1 ; In Situ Hybridization ; Keratinocytes ; Membranes ; Metaphase ; Oncogenes ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin ; Tetraploidy ; Triploidy